268 



II. — On CaryophylUa Smithii, var lorealis, now C. claims, of 

 SaccM— By 0. W. Peach, A.L.S. 



Bead May 2Zrd, 1876. 



WHEN in Shetland, in 1864, dredging witli Mr. J. Grwyn 

 Jeffreys, I felt much interested in the ' ' niarvellons ahim- 

 dance " of the CciryophylUa got there, as I was pretty well 

 acquainted with the animal of those found in the West of 

 England ; when I got some of the Northern ones alive, I made 

 several sketches of the animals, and paid as much attention to 

 their habits as time would permit. It was after all a very diffi- 

 cult affair ; I managed to get good outlines, as to the filling up 

 of the colouring, &c., I was fairly beaten, at least such as I did 

 are daubs when compared with nature. Their beautiful colours 

 were like flashing brilliant streams of golden light, and so tran- 

 sient, that those beautifiJ words of Burns well describe them, 

 for they were 



" like the borealis race 

 That flits ere you can point the place." 



Those who have seen the brilliant colours of the Al^jhrodita, or 



Sea-mouse, may have some idea of those of the Caryo^ihyllia, 



only they must be much more intensified and varied. 



These sketches I lent to Dr. Duncan, and from them his figures 

 were made to illustrate his paper " On British Madreporia," in 

 the Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, Part 5, 

 Vol. VIII, 1873. By the close examination I had to make, I got 

 well acquainted with the form, &c., and am quite satisfied that 

 the Cornish and Shetland Corals are one and the same species. 

 I send specimens from Shetland, for the inspection of the meeting, 

 and for deposition in the Museum of the Society. I hope I shall 

 not be considered tiresome, if I say a few more words about them. 

 The greatest niimber were got in the " Out Haaf " (deep sea), 

 from 80 to 100 fathoms, — at times by hundreds; some living. 



